Furnace-charging apparatus.



PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

W.. G. KRANZ.

FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30.1905.

- Be it known that 1, WILLIAM G; KRANZ, of.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

WILLIAM G. KRANZ, OF SHARON, PENNSYLVANIA, \ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed June 30, 1905.. Serial No. 267,736.

To all whom it may concern:

Sharon, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Furnace-Charging Apparatus, of Which.the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of the specification, which shows in side elevation a furnace-charging'machine constructed in accordance with my invention, the furnace being shown in vertical section.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a furnace-charging machine especially adapted to the'charging of open-hearth furnaces, which shall be cheap and strong in its construction and easily managed.

In the drawing, 1 represents an open-hearth furnace which does not constitute a part of my invention and may be of any suitable construction. 2 is a traveling crane having at its base Wheels 3, by which it is mounted. movably on a track 4. It is also provided with a bridge 5, on which is a trolley 6, mounted on wheel 7, so that it can be moved back and forth on the bridge. This motion is effected by means of a suitable motor 8, (preferably an electric motor,) which is mounted on the trolley and is geared to one of the wheels or axles or both axles. The

bridge 5 extends at right angles to the track 4, and as the crane is movable along the track and the trolley is movable on the bridge at right angles to the track the traverse of the charging-machine along the line of the furnaces with which the track is parallel and the motion of the trolley 'to introduce the charging mechanism into any of the furnaces and retract it therefrom are rendered easy. The motor by which the crane is driven on the track is connected to one of the wheels 3 by gearing 9 andis controlled, together with the other motors of the apparatus, by an opera to! standin'g on the pulpit or platform 10. The charging mechanism comprises a frame or support 11, which is pivoted at 12 to a vertical arm 13, depending from the trolley 6, and can be rocked in a vertical plane on the same arm. This frame carries an electric motor 14, which is connected by suitable gearing 15 with a rotary charging-bar 16,

. journaled in the frame 17 and provided with devices at its outer end adapting it to be connected-with a charging-box 18,into which the charge for the furnace is placed and from which it is discharged into the furnace by the rotation of the charging-bar. The front end of the frame 11 is connected by a chain or other flexible connection 19 witha drum 20 on the trolley, which is adapted to be rotated by a suitable motor 21, also 611 the trolley. 14 is a magnetic brake for stopping the rotation of the motor 14.

The operation is as follows: When it is desired to introduce a box of charging material into the furnace, the operator moves the crane opposite one of the boxes, which are on a car in front of the track 4, connects the charging-bar 16 to the box, then by winding the chain 19 raises the charging-bar and box from the car, and by traversing the crane along the track he brings the box opposite to the mouth of the furnace. Then by traversing the trolley 6 on the bridge of the crane the suspended frame 11 is moved for Ward, so as to introduce the box into the furnace, and by operating the motor 14 the charging-bar is rotated, the box upturned,

and the charge caused to be dropped on the furnace-hearth. The parts may then be moved in the reverse order, so as to withdraw the box from the furnace.

The simplicity of the mechanism and the ease of its 0 eration will commend the device to those ski led in the art.

I claim 1. Furnace-charging apparatus compris- I ing a traveling carriage or crane, a trolley thereon, a frame pivoted at the rear to a support depending from the trolley, a rotary charging-bar on the frame, and a flexible connection extending from the trolley and adapted to raise and lower the frame on its pivot; substantially as described.

- 2. Furnace-charging apparatus comprising a traveling carriage or crane, a trolley thereon, a frame pivoted at the rear to a support depending from the trolley, a motor on the frame, a rotary charging-bar on the frame, and a flexible connection extending from the trolley and adapted'to raise and lower the frame on its pivot; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set 

